Cake, cookies, pie, ice cream, hot chocolate, lemonade... Yum! What do all these delicious treats have in common? Sugar. In addition to providing sweetness, sugar adds bulk, flavor, and structure to foods. But is it necessary to add sugar to achieve sweetness? Can the same sweetness be achieved using sugar substitutes like artificial or natural sweeteners? In this project, you will test sugar and sugar substitutes and compare the sweetness of each in relation to sugar. In the end, your day will…
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You are probably very familiar with the fact that over time, exercise changes your muscles, your lungs, your bones, and even your mindset; but did you know it has an immediate effect on your body's biochemistry? You can see this in the amount of glucose (a type of sugar your body uses for fuel) circulating in your blood. Blood glucose levels change as you exercise. For most people, this is not a big deal. But for top-level athletes in the middle of intense exercise (like a marathon), or for…
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HumBio_p039

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Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

Informed consent must be obtained from participants in this experiment (parental consent must be granted for minors). The experimental design (including consent forms) must be approved by your fair's Scientific Review Committee ([# ProjectGuide Name="Advanced.ScientificReviewCommitteeSRC" Value="HtmlAnchor" HtmlText="SRC" #]).

Material Availability

A blood glucose monitoring system is required to do this science project. See the Materials list for details.

Cost

Average ($40 - $80)

Safety

Follow all safety precautions when using the blood glucose monitoring kit and when handling blood, as described in the Procedure. If somebody who has diabetes wants to participate in this science project, review the safety notes at the beginning of the Procedure before starting.

While watching an ice hockey game, have you ever wondered what differentiates a good player from a great player? For sure, the great player is athletically superior to the good player. But maybe it is a combination of athleticism and equipment. Maybe a great player knows which hockey stick is best for him or her. Hockey players can choose to play with hockey sticks with different flexibilities or "flex." In this science fair project, investigate how stick flex affects shot accuracy and speed.…
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Sports_p049

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

Access to an empty ice rink and knowledge of how to play ice hockey.

Material Availability

Specialty items required. You need access to an empty ice rink, hockey equipment and safety gear, a sports radar gun appropriate for hockey, and two volunteers who also have equipment and safety gear.

Have you ever wondered how nutritionists know how many Calories a certain food contains? In this project you will learn a method for measuring how many Calories (how much chemical energy) is available in different types of food. You will build your own calorimeter to capture the energy released by burning a small food item, like a nut or a piece of popcorn. This project gives a new meaning to the phrase "burning calories!"
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Have you ever been told to avoid certain foods because they contain too much fat? Almost every food we eat has some amount of fat in it; often in an invisible form so we do not even notice. However, eating healthy does not mean getting rid of all fat in your diet. On the contrary, fat is an essential nutrient for your body! Only consuming too much of certain fat types creates problems. Are you curious about how to determine the fat content of different foods? Gather some chips, chocolate, and…
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FoodSci_p077

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

Some familiarity with basic organic chemistry including hydrocarbons and the different types of carbon bonds would be helpful, though it is not required for this project.

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Safety

Acetone is a flammable liquid. Keep away from open flames, sparks, or heat.
Acetone is irritating to skin and eyes. Be sure to wear safety goggles and gloves.
Work in an area with adequate ventilation.
Adult supervision is recommended.
Do NOT eat the foods that you treated with acetone.

Plants need nitrogen to grow healthy stems and leaves. Although nitrogen is the most abundant element in the air we breathe, that form of nitrogen cannot be used by plants. Nitrogen contained in fertilizer, on the other hand, is readily taken up by plants. In this experiment, you will compare plants grown without nitrogen fertilizer to plants grown with nitrogen fertilizer.
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In the wild there are two types of animals: the hunters and the hunted. A good predator is always on the prowl for fresh prey. What can an animal do to stay off of the menu? To survive, some animals use camouflage so they can better blend in with their surroundings. In this science project, you will be the hungry predator hunting for M&M® prey. But it may not be as easy as it sounds — some of your prey will be camouflaged by their habitat. Will they be able to avoid your grasp? …
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Dried beans are a major ingredient in dishes served all over the world. In their dried form, they can be stored for years and then "brought back to life" by soaking them in water. In this cooking and food science fair project, you will measure just how much water is absorbed by beans when they rehydrate (soak up water). Can such a little bean really hold that much water?
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Over an average lifetime, the human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times, supplying blood to the entire body. When a person exercises, the heart has to work harder than usual. Have you ever wondered how quickly your heart beats when you exercise, or how long it takes to recover back to its normal rate after you are done exercising? Is the heart rate recovery time faster for people who get regular exercise compared to people who do not? Try out this science project to find out!
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HumBio_p008

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Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

Informed consent must be obtained from every participant in this experiment (parental consent must be granted for minors). In addition, the experimental design (including consent forms) must be approved by the fair's scientific review committee ([# ProjectGuide Name="Advanced.ScientificReviewCommitteeSRC" Value="HtmlAnchor" HtmlText="SRC" #]).

Did you know that our brains are split into two parts, right inside our head? One half is the left brain and the other half is the right brain. Some people use one half of the brain more than the other half when they are doing certain activities, like talking or reading. The half that is used is sometimes tied to which hand they prefer to use. If someone likes to use their right hand when doing an activity, like drawing or throwing a ball, do they also prefer to use their right ear, eye, or…
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